1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for retrieving and transporting large objects and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to apparatus for retrieving and transporting large cylindrical bales of hay, or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years it has become common place to bind bales of hay in circular or cylindrical bales through the use of automated hay baling equipment. These cylindrical or circular hay bales are normally left in the field by the baling equipment and must be picked up or retrieved as sometime subsequent to the baling operation for movement to the desired storage site. The bales are usually relatively large, as for example five to six feet in diameter and five to six feet in length, and are quite heavy, weighing approximately 800 pounds each. As a result the bales are very difficult to handle. In order to facilitate the retrieval of the baled hay from the fields, frame devices have been developed for attachment behind a towing vehicle and adapted to engage and elevate the cylindrical bales onto the apparatus whereby the towing vehicle may pull the apparatus and hay bale loaded thereon to the place of storage or use. Examples of such hay bale carrier are shown in the Carroll Grant Row U.S. Pat. No. 3,938,682, issued Feb. 16, 1976, and entitled "Self-Loading Hay Hauler"; Kannady et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,985,253, issued Oct. 12, 1976, and entitled "Large Hay Bale Carrier"; and the Harold D. Baltz U.S. Pat. No. 4,089,425, issued May 16, 1978, and entitled "Self-Loading Trialer". These devices have certain disadvantages, however, in that the bail member for facilitating loading of the hay bale onto the carrier is either inefficient or ineffective, and in many instances mutilates or damages a portion of the hay bale during the loading operation.
Furthermore, many of the bales of hay are tied or bound with twine, or the like, to maintain a substantially compact configuration for the bale during periods of storage for future use of the hay for the feeding of livestock, and the like. After a period of time in storage, the twine frequently deteriorates and the hay bale is not bound in its original compact circular configuration. Other bales are not tied with twine or otherwise bound in any manner, and needless to say, these bales are also relatively loosely contained subsequent to periods of storage. Thus, when the present day hay bale handling equipment is utilized for the retrieval of a hay bale from storage for use during a feeding operation, the bail member is extremely inefficient in handling of the loose hay bale and usually inflicts considerable damage to the bale. This frequently reduces the quantity of hay which may be actually used in the feeding operation, since much of the bale is destroyed and hay is lost therefrom.
One of the advantages of the circular hay bales is that this particular configuration permits storage of the bales in the out-of-doors, and of course, it is advantageous to place the bales in substantial longitudinal alignment, and positioned as close together as practical, leaving only a relatively small "crack" therebetween for permitting the flow of water around the outer periphery of the bale during rainstorms, and the like. This close proximity of the hay bales to one another creates still another problem for the bail members of the present day hay bale handling equipment in that as the bail member is moved into a position for encasing or surrounding the outer periphery of the hay bale during a retrieval operation, the outer end of the bale frequently strikes an adjacent hay bale, creating damage thereto, and it is difficult to actually "insert" the outer end of the bail member between the bales for an efficient retrieval of a single base.